


The One That Got Away

by decemberwriter



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, Bumbleby Week 2020 (RWBY), F/F, Fluff and Angst, Love, Multi, RWBY - Freeform, Ring/Sunflower Pop, Romance, Rwbybumbleby, bumblebyship, multi-chapter, royal au, yangandblake
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:00:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24533452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/decemberwriter/pseuds/decemberwriter
Summary: Blake Belladonna was the Princess of Menagerie. She was supposed to be the future queen of Menagerie and all the Faunus. But each year that she grew older, Blake began noticing a pattern. The Faunus were not treated equally to Humans. Until she meets Huntress-in-training, Yang Xiao Long, Blake believes Faunus equality can never be reached. Can Yang prove her wrong?Royal AU, Faunus Princess AU, also inspired by the DC Comics (the ring story)
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long
Comments: 12
Kudos: 50





	1. Prologue Part I

**Author's Note:**

> hey ya'll :) this is my first fanfiction ever! so I might be terrible, but I hope you enjoy it all the same

It was past midnight in Menagerie, the silver moon and its shattered fragments a shining beacon of light against the endless, pitch black sky. For a Human, this level of darkness was impossible to see through, but for a Faunus such as Blake, her nearly perfect sight in the dark made it very difficult for anyone or anything to be able to catch her off guard.

She stood silently against the palace’s inner walls, the stone pressing hard against her back. She watched closely for any kind of movement in the dark, listened intently to any sort of noise. But she could only see the various fluttering trees littering the lawn of grass in front of her, and she could only hear the whistling wind passing by as well as the faint voices and footsteps of the royal guards standing watch, out in the distance.

Blake’s amber eyes began flickering back and forth. She had been waiting for seven minutes now. Where was Ilia?

“Right here,” said a voice -- _Ilia’s_ \-- and Blake jumped from her spot against the corner of the wall, eyes wide as she stared at Ilia’s impassive and detached face.

“Oh,” Blake blinked, surprised. She had not realized she had asked out loud.

“Okay, follow me, stay alert, and keep your head down,” Ilia whispered, already turning around and making her way across the grass, her figure barely noticeable in the darkness, her boots not uttering even a single sound on the ground.

Blake quickly followed, trying to mask the noises her own boots and clothes made. “W-wait,” she mumbled, hurrying her pace to stay as close as possible behind Ilia. “How did I not hear you? Or even notice you?”

Ilia did not respond, deciding to crouch behind one of the many wooden wheelbarrows scattered throughout the palace’s lush, landscape gardens instead. Both girls watched, dead silent, as two royal guards passed by in front of them, on their nightly routine of guarding the palace, inattentive to the two hidden silhouettes a few feet away from them. Ilia stayed unresponsive for seconds longer, watching carefully as the royal guards turned a corner, before grabbing Blake’s hand and pulling her forward.

“Practice.” Was her answer. 

* 

Blake had tried to sneak out a few times in the past, but never had she succeeded.

Her room was guarded every hour of every day, the palace had posts of royal guards standing watch outside as protection, and her multiple nursemaids watched her every move until she had turned thirteen -- not needing to be looked after any longer.

Blake, Princess of Menagerie of House Belladonna, had never been outside her palace’s walls except for royal parades with her parents, King Ghira and Queen Kali, around Menagerie’s capital city, Kuo Kuana, during the kingdom’s special holidays and celebrations. They were her favorite days as a child. She always felt warm when her people clapped for them, shouting happiness and joy each time Blake waved at them from her embellished purple and gold palanquin. She was supposed to be the future queen of Menagerie and all the Faunus, and Blake understood that ever since she learned how to read and write. She was supposed to protect her people and the Faunus, always reaching higher for the betterment of her people.

But each year that she grew older, Blake began noticing a pattern. The Faunus were not treated equally to Humans, instead, her people were often traded underground and overseas and enslaved. The four other kingdoms -- Vale, Mistral, Vacuo, and especially Atlas -- did little to stop it from happening. It angered Blake’s heart each time her parents’ and the royal council’s pleads to the other kingdoms in taking larger strides to achieve long-lasting equality fell on deaf ears.

She had barely turned thirteen, but Blake was ready to do anything in her power to bring attention to the increasing void and imbalance between Humans and Faunus. A void that should never exist in the first place. 

* 

“Where are we, Ilia?” Blake questioned, warily looking around the dark cobblestone streets and rundown buildings and houses around them.

They were able to escape the palace unnoticed, thank the Brothers, but now Blake found herself in the middle of an abandoned area in the outskirts of Kuo Kuana alongside Ilia.

Ilia was familiar with most of everything outside her palace’s walls since she had that certain degree of freedom that Blake did not. And even though Blake had found herself trusting of Ilia, she could not help but start to feel anxiety pool inside her stomach. Two fifteen-year-old girls, one the literal _Princess of Menagerie_ , were out in the middle of the night, in a shady area without informing _anyone_ of where they had gone to. If anything were to go wrong, well…

“We just have to find a tiny red X marked on one of these doors…” Ilia muttered, beginning to approach one of the building’s doors to check just that. “That’s how the White Fang makes sure no unwanted visitors are able to interrupt their meetings.”

Blake nodded, pulling her black shawl closer around her face before quickly following behind her.

Blake had met Ilia last year, when her uncle, Lord Amitola, had been promoted to the Head Trainer of the Royal Guards. Ilia and Blake had instantly bonded over their shared anger of Faunus enslavement and discrimination.

Ilia had shown her how she was a chameleon Faunus which gave her the ability to pass off as Human if she only hid her abilities to change the color of her skin, hair, and eyes.

Blake had listened, mouth shut, as Ilia recounted to her the time her family lived in Mantle, a main city in Atlas. They were poor and worked in the mines. But her parents were somehow able to secure her a spot in one of Mantle’s rare noble schools to receive a proper education as a proper lady with other fellow Human noble young girls.

But _only_ if Ilia could pretend that she was Human.

Blake watched as Ilia shook her head and told her how for a few months, she actually enjoyed pretending to be Human, she enjoyed not needing to worry about her Faunus lineage and the prejudicial treatment that always came with it. Blake had watched as Ilia trembled with sudden pure fury when she had learned that there had been a cave-in in the mines -- where much of the workforce was made up by Faunus, which included her parents, and how her supposed Human friends snickered and laughed when they found out about the accident too.

“I lost control,” Ilia jerked her head to the right and met Blake’s widened eyes. “Every inch of me turned blue as I wept. And suddenly, all the girls that I’d laughed and played with…were scared of me.”

She whispered the last part, eyes lifeless as she stared past Blake’s own eyes, lost in her own pain. In that moment, Blake had understood everything. Her people, the Faunus, were in pain. And she needed to fix that. Immediately.

After her parents’ death, Ilia’s uncle came for her and moved her with him to Menagerie, to Kuo Kuana -- the safe haven for all Faunus.

Blake had learned about a new Faunus organization -- the White Fang -- that had begun appearing in the streets of Menagerie through Ilia. The White Fang was seeking to improve relations between the Humans and the Faunus, and Blake was instantly interested to meet with them. She wanted to learn about their ideas, their goals, and their ambitions.

Ilia had used her sources to find out about a White Fang initiation and meeting taking place in Kuo Kuana later that week, and both her and Blake, under the disguise of nighttime, conjured up a plan to visit the meeting together.

“Is it this?” Blake called out to Ilia, staring at a tiny red X scratched on the side of one of the bigger building’s doors.

Ilia came over and inspected it too. After a few seconds, she nodded, looking up to meet Blake’s stare. “Yes.”

They stared at each other for a long time, silent as they both contemplated entering or not.

But Blake reminded herself that she was the future queen of Menagerie. She had a duty or a responsibility to her people. Blake’s lips thinned. Her eyes hardened. She had made her choice way before this moment.

“Let’s go in.” 

* 

Her eyes were drawn to him first.

He seemed powerful, with an aura that demanded attention and deference. He spoke with a loud, charismatic voice, and he moved across the room in captivating strides. His deep violent red hair shined under the candlelight, and his Faunus trait -- two reddish-black horns -- caused his shadow behind him to seem larger than normal, almost menacing in a way.

He introduced himself to everyone in the meeting as Adam Taurus. Him, along with three other older Faunus -- Sienna Khan, Corsac Albain, and Fennec Albain -- were the leaders of the upcoming White Fang.

Blake listened throughout the night, standing quietly in the shadowed back corner of the room, as they explained their main goal: for Faunus to finally live in an equal world alongside Humans. She nodded along to everything they had said, and from the corner of her eye, she could see the rest of the thirty Faunus who had gathered were also agreeing.

Then Sienna asked who had wanted to join them, and almost everybody raised their hand.

Blake watched, her heart skipping a beat, as Ilia raised her hand as well and walked over to the leaders to sign herself as a new member to the White Fang.

Blake stayed behind; teeth clenched. Even if she wanted to be a part of this, how could she possibly? She was a princess; it was a miracle she even sneaked out of the palace unnoticed. She could also never reveal her real identity to Sienna or to anyone else here for her own safety. What could she possibly provide to the White Fang when she could not even leave her own home?

But then she sensed _his_ gaze. Her head snapped up, eyes immediately locked into his.

Adam wore a Grimm mask, something he had told everyone in the meeting would be their symbol -- as Faunus who donned the faces of monsters when humanity saw them as such. The white and red mask covered his eyes and forehead, making it hard for Blake to identify the direction of his stare. But even though it masked whatever he was directly looking at, Blake knew deep in her soul he was looking specifically at _her_.

A shiver ran down her spine, and Blake heard the warning bells sound off inside her head.

But even so, she found herself walking over to him. 

* 

She was sneaking out each month now. And no one knew.

Well, no one except for Ilia.

She would always find a way to visit Blake and report to her about the new ideas and agendas being considered back in the White Fang. Blake would always listen intently in order to be well-informed the next time she was able to attend a new meeting.

The White Fang was becoming a bigger part of her life, and Blake did not know what to do.

She knew that the high-ranking leaders, Adam specifically, were probably starting to get suspicious.

Although Blake had signed herself to be an official member of the organization, unlike Ilia, she was not able to complete assigned tasks given to all first-year members. Her excuses of only being able to attend a meeting once or twice a month had been working for over six months now, but Blake knew that sooner or later, she would be questioned over her absent flexibility. Maybe she would even be let go because she was never able to fully help them. And _that_ scared Blake the most.

For over six months, the fifteen-year-old Faunus princess had been learning more and more about Faunus inequality happening outside her kingdom than what her own royal advisors and parents decided to openly disclose to her. The ruling family in Atlas for example, the Schnee family or House Schnee, earned bags and bags of lien in the mining industry by using Faunus labor and exploitation. And Mistral’s underground networks were full of illegal Faunus enslavement taking place.

This angered Blake, and she would always return to the palace with a more troubled heart than the previous day.

Besides learning about the incidents of Faunus discrimination happening outside her world, Blake was also developing an unexpected, more complicated relationship with Adam.

He was her superior as a high-ranking member in the White Fang. He was also her mentor since he was in charge of teaching all first-year members how to fight, and Blake would hold her breath each time he would grab her waist and correct her stance, feeling the hard planes of his gloved hands and the intense gaze behind his Grimm mask.

It was becoming too much, and Ilia had called her out on it one day in practice.

“Um, Blake…”

Blake hummed, indicating she was listening as she recounted Adam’s words inside her head.

_One.Two.Three…throw!_

Blake repeated the hand motions Adam had taught her previously that night and watched with tight eyes as the knife flew out of her hand and landed a little to the side of the wooden practice target.

 _Almost_ _!_ Blake shouted internally.

“-- I don’t want to assume, but…Blake _…”_

_One.Two…_

“…Blake…!”

 _And_ _Thr_ _e_ _\--_

“ ** _Princes_** ** _s_** _!_ ”

Ilia harshly whispered the last word, almost making Blake miss the throw entirely.

“ _Ilia!”_ Blake glared at her friend, swiveling around just to be met with an Ilia who was clearly angry if her changing red skin suggested anything other.

“I’m sorry, but you weren’t listening to me!”

Blake glared at Ilia once more before walking over towards the wooden practice target to retrieve her throwing knives.

“Still, we both know you should never call me that here,” Blake mumbled. “Even if no one is with us in the room, we should still be careful--”

“What’s going on with you and Adam?” Ilia interrupted, crossing her arms.

Blake stood still, looking at her friend in disbelief before shaking her head. “What? Nothing. He is our mentor--”

“Oh, we both know he’s much more than that with you,”

Blake stayed quiet for a minute, slowly picking up the knives.

“Blake, don’t think I haven’t noticed the secret looks you two share! Or…or h-how you stare at him all the time! Not only is he our superior, but he’s also four years older than you! Not to mention, he doesn’t know you’re…you know, _you_ …so why--”

“Ilia, _p_ _lease_ ,” Blake sighed. “Leave it alone.”

Blake watched as Ilia closed her mouth, brow furrowing. It was clear she wanted to keep on discussing this with her, but Blake returned to her training with hardened eyes. 

* 

He was angry.

Blake watched quietly as Adam paced back and forth in front of her, muttering and spewing curses as the setting sun caused the sky to bleed red behind them.

Apparently, the Schnee family had turned a blind eye when a whole group of Faunus workers had been buried alive in a cave-in in the Mantle mines. Some of the Faunus workers had been children, approximately seven to eleven years old. Sienna’s associates in Atlas had relied to her this information, and when she had decided to share it to everyone in the meeting, Adam had suddenly stood up and stormed out, causing everyone to stare at his retreating back in bewilderment.

But Blake had followed him, understanding why he was so furious.

Adam cursed once more before grabbing his Grimm mask and throwing it to the ground. The scarred Schnee Dust Company brandmark across his left eye shined brighter under the crimson light, and Blake felt sympathy squeeze her heart.

“…Adam…” She whispered. He had told her months ago that he had worked in those same Mantle mines under the Schnees when he was younger. And when he had tried to lead an uprising, they had immediately stopped it and branded him and the other conspiring Faunus as a result.

“The Schnees deserve to die, Arryn.”

Arryn had become her fake name for over a year now, and Blake had become accustomed to being addressed as such by everyone in the White Fang. Still, it caught Blake off her guard for quick second and she quickly blinked to hide the confusion that had probably swam across her face.

But if Adam noticed he did not show because he stared plainly at her with his right icy-blue eye and continued. “They all deserve to die. The people who treat Faunus like them deserve to die. The _Humans_ deserve to die.”

Blake hesitated for a moment before taking the four steps needed to stand in front of him.

“There will be justice for them, I promise,” She hesitated again, wondering if he was mad enough to reject her touch. “But, not with violence,”

She took his gloved hands, waiting with a pounding heart.

He stared at her for a long time, slowly looking at their joined hands. Seconds passed, and then he clicked his tongue, jerking his hands away. Blake could do nothing but pull her hands back to her sides.

“And _how_ _,_ my love? If not with force, how do _you_ propose those Faunus will get justice? How do we stop the Schnees? _How_?”

She stood silent for a moment, eyes unfocused, thinking.

He was right, in a way. The White Fang was barely reaching six-hundred followers, they needed financial support but had none, and their voice was very small if not nonexistent outside Kuo Kuana and Menagerie. How could they get justice?

_You are the Princess of Menagerie._

She bit her lip.

_You are the Princess of Menagerie_ _, and the Faunus are_ **_hurting_ ** _._

“I am the princess!”

She blurted, looking up to meet Adam’s confused stare.

“What?”

Blake trembled, feeling suddenly exposed. “I am the princess,” she repeated. “I…I…am Princess Blake Belladonna.”

Silence.

His face was painted with disbelief, looking up and down at her ragged dark dress (which was a disguise) and her messy black hair.

She knew he did not believe it, so she scrambled to prove herself.

“I joined the White Fang under the name Arryn as a disguise. For my own safety, Adam. I _swear_ to you I only lied to you and the rest of the leaders as a safety measure, and _not_ because I wanted to. I am Princess Blake of Menagerie, and if you do not believe me, ask Ilia -- she works in the palace, and she was the one who told me about the White Fang in the first place…”

He was still looking at her like she had grown two heads.

“…a-and I wanted to meet with you! I wanted to meet with the White Fang to learn about their ideas! It pains me to see my people treated this way, and I wanted to help, so I continued to stay here…”

He took a step closer to her, roughly grabbing her chin and tilting her head up so she could see his dangerous eyes flash. “Do you really think I believe that? Who are you, really?”

“No, Adam!” Blake shook her head. “I am telling the truth! Why do you think I only come to the meetings once a month? Because I possibly cannot!”

They held each other’s stare for a long time, and even though Blake felt herself losing the battle between them, she hoped he could see the honesty written plainly across her face.

“I promise you, Adam,” Blake whispered, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. “I am Princess Blake Belladonna. And I want to help the White Fang.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please leave comments, I appreciate feedback very much and promise to do better next time :)


	2. Prologue Part II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey everyone! tbh, i am not fully satisfied with this chapter but oh well. i hope you can enjoy it all the same :)

Blake watched with a smile from behind the purple curtains as her father waved to the crowd cheering down below.

He had just announced that the royal family would help support and sponsor the White Fang in Menagerie -- a cause he wholeheartedly believed would promote peace between Faunus and Humans.

The people beneath the royal balcony had immediately cheered, clapped, and whistled, grateful that House Belladonna was making headway to achieve amity and equality. And Blake knew she had made the right choice.

Five months ago, when Blake had initially revealed her true identity to Adam and the rest of the leaders, she had returned to the palace with a group full of White Fang members walking besides her -- everyone, especially Adam and Sienna, wanted to see if what she claimed had been true.

They were all shocked to find out she was, indeed, Princess Blake Belladonna.

For over five months, Blake pleaded and argued with her parents and the royal council to help or aid the White Fang -- an organization she had promised to them would use peace to reach their goals but would also use a certain extent of assertiveness to make their voice known and recognized.

Countless of hours Blake had spent behind the closed doors of her parents’ private chambers, trying to convince them both that what she had done (sneaking out and not informing anyone about her late-night whereabouts each month) had sprung from her own desperation to help the Faunus. She tried to convince them that she had continued to endanger her safety only because it was for a good cause.

At first, Ghira had yelled at her, furious that she had compromised her own safety as future queen of Menagerie and had not asked for permission the first time she decided she wanted to meet with the White Fang. Kali, on the other hand, only looked at Blake with worry, asking her if she was sure the White Fang had the best interests in mind.

Both her parents did not relent until finally, the royal council per Blake’s requests, allowed for a private audience with Sienna, Adam, Corsac, and Fennec to listen to the White Fang’s mission.

Maybe it was Sienna’s passion, or Corsac and Fennec’s calm and informative demeanors, or maybe it was even Adam’s charisma, but the high-ranking leaders were able to sway them to their side, and eventually, Ghira and Kali accepted to help them as well.

There had been a celebration that same night, Ghira insisting that the White Fang deserved to enjoy a night full of rest and happiness before they returned to work -- fully funded, and fully aided by the monarchy.

Blake had danced with Ilia, laughing breathlessly at their accomplishment.

And then Adam had led her to a secluded spot behind the great hall’s curtains where he kissed her, causing Blake, now sixteen-years-old, to feel as though she had innocently earned his attention, before he whispered by her human ear, causing the joy cursing through her veins to freeze.

“You are _mine_ , Blake. Even if you are the princess of this kingdom, you belong to me and only me. No one else. Do you understand?”

Blake did not how to respond. 

* 

“ _ **Cowards**_!”

She had screamed at her parents, looking through tear-stained eyes as shock and hurt had consumed their features from her choice of words. But before guilt could immediately settle into Blake’s heart, she continued.

“The White Fang is our _only_ hope! How can you call yourselves King and Queen of the Faunus when you want to stop supporting our cause? _How!?_ ”

Blake shouted at them, her voice hoarse and her throat dry from crying too much.

At first, Blake was unaware that her parents and the royal council were having second thoughts of continuing the White Fang’s funding. It was not until Sienna and Adam had both written her a letter the previous day informing her about the situation that Blake realized what was happening.

She had waited until her parents were ready to go to bed before deciding to confront them in privacy.

“Blake,” Ghira started, golden eyes pleading as he looked at his only daughter. “The White Fang is not the organization we all believed it was. They have turned to violence! And that is not a cause we will support.”

Blake glared at him, opening her mouth to retort.

“We received reports from Atlas today,” Kali interrupted. “The White Fang led an assassination attempt on Lord Theodore Schnee -- a close family member to House Schnee. Do you know what that means, honey? If Atlas decides _we_ , the kingdom, called for the attack --”

“-- it could mean war. War between Menagerie and Atlas,” Ghira finished, arms crossed. “No, Blake. We will not be associated with an organization that attacks and uses violence as a method to achieve their goals.”

Blake trembled, shaking her head, and whispering, “ _No_ …”

She did not want to believe it. She did not want to believe that the White Fang had turned to violence, but how could she lie to herself? All of Sienna’s personal letters to her were filled with evidence of angry writing about the other kingdoms and their refusal to acknowledge the White Fang’s strength. And then there were angry letters about Atlas and House Schnee and their evident discrimination against Faunus.

And _Adam’s_ letters…the _hate_ consuming his feelings towards Humans…it even scared Blake sometimes.

“Please, honey,” Kali’s soft voice brought Blake back to the present. “We understand that this hurts you: to stop supporting a movement you believed could help our people. But the White Fang is not helping create peace. On the contrary, we are receiving more and more complaints from both here in Menagerie and from outside the kingdom that the White Fang is increasing tensions between Faunus and Humans instead.”

Blake watched in despair as her parents seemed to grow in confidence with their final decision. Her father’s golden eyes hardened as he looked at Blake; her mother’s brow wrinkled with finality. They were not going to change their minds, Blake instantly realized.

“House Belladonna will no longer support the White Fang…” Ghira began, voice laced with hardness as if not allowing for any further arguments, and Blake drew in a sharp breath.

“…and that’s _**final**_.” 

* 

Blake paced back and forth inside her room, not knowing what to do now that she had confirmation from both her parents that they would no longer continue to support the White Fang.

What would she tell Adam? Or Sienna? Or Ilia?

A knock to her door startled Blake out of her thoughts, and she quickly called the person in, wondering who would decide to visit her this late at night.

“…Blake, can we talk…?”

Blake watched with slight surprise as Ilia entered her room, dressed entirely in nightwear. After an awkward moment of silence, Blake slowly nodded. Ilia had never decided to visit her in her own chambers before, and it caught Blake off guard.

Ilia walked in, sighing as she stood somewhat ajar of the door, not fully entering Blake’s bedroom. “I am sorry for showing up unannounced, but I really needed to talk to you…” Ilia trailed off, deciding to look at the smooth, polished porcelain floor instead of Blake’s bewildered stare. “…it’s about the White Fang…” she finished quietly.

Blake stared at her friend for a second longer, wondering if it was a mistake all those nights ago when they had both decided to leave the palace in secret in search for the White Fang. What would she be doing now? What would Blake be doing if the White Fang had never intercrossed with her life?

“Actually, Ilia,” Blake sighed, slowly sinking on her bed to sit down. “I have to talk to you too.”

If Ilia was surprised by Blake’s admission, she did not show it for Ilia only shook her head and smiled.

“If it’s about your parents withdrawing their support from the White Fang, don’t bother, I already know.”

But before Blake could open her mouth to ask, Ilia continued speaking.

“My uncle told me. Apparently, the royal council had announced it at their last meeting, and I wanted you to know that…it’s okay, Blake. I…I’m not mad,” Ilia sighed, throwing her head back against the doorframe. “…I…I understand their reasons.”

“What?” Blake shook her head. “No, Ilia. You and I both know that the White Fang is going to help the Faunus! My parents are wrong --”

“Your parents are right,” Ilia countered. “They are right, even though I initially believed they were not.”

“No, they are not. I need to change their minds, but I don’t know how to tell--”

“They are right, Blake!”

Ilia stood up straighter, meeting Blake’s fierce gaze with her own blue one. “I…I also thought that they weren’t, at first, but…after talking to my uncle about it…I realized that the White Fang _was_ , in fact, turning towards violence and force to get results…and that can hurt Menagerie and the Faunus more than the Humans can, or than House Schnee can…” Ilia spat the name _Schnee_ with venom, before continuing in a softer tone. “…so…before you do anything, just think about it…please.”

Blake looked down at her pale hands, wringing them closer. _Think about it? W-was Ilia, right?_

“A-adam…” Blake hesitated, not knowing if she should reveal her inner turmoil or not.

“…Adam, what?” Ilia pressed after a minute; her eyes filled with sudden worry as she looked at the princess.

But still, Blake hesitated. Ilia was a close friend, sure, but she was still a White Fang member -- someone who had followed and supported Adam on missions before. Blake did not know if Ilia would even believe her and take her side. Or would she choose Adam over her?

Too focused on her on thoughts, Blake did not notice Ilia walking closer, until two sun-kissed hands covered her own hands, causing Blake’s gaze to snap up.

“You can tell me,” Ilia whispered, looking at Blake with concern. “Adam, what, Blake?”

They stared at each other for a long time until Blake sundered the dead silence with her confession.

“…Adam t-told me to fix it. He told me that if I d-didn’t convince my parents and the royal council to continue their funding, h-he would…take matters into his own hands…and I don’t know what that means, Ilia…”

Blake felt the tears start to flow down her cheeks, and she did not fight when Ilia pulled her into a crushing hug. The release she felt from saying it out loud had never felt so sweet. 

* 

She stared at the letter in panic, her mind overrun by millions of questions.

Adam had sent her a letter earlier that day, asking for her to meet with him outside the palace’s back courtyards at midnight. He had instructed her to not tell anyone about their meeting and to come see him alone.

Blake was instantly on guard. _What did he want? Was he angry that she had failed in her task of changing her parents’ minds? How would he sneak past the guards? Was he even aware that her father was no longer accepting the White Fang as visitors?_

The clock above her wooden desk read midnight, and with a shaking heart, Blake tied the black shawl closer around her face to work as a disguise beneath the moon’s glowing light. Grabbing a candle lantern, Blake quickly left her bedroom to meet with Adam one last time. 

* 

He was not alone, was the first thing Blake had noticed. He was not alone at all.

“Adam, what’s the meaning of this?”

Blake called out across the distance, watching warily as ten or eleven Faunus (White Fang members if Blake guessed from their white and black uniforms) stood still behind Adam, all of them fully armored and armed. Blake did not even need the candle lantern to see the various weapons hidden beneath their clothing. Her plain eyesight was able to uncover everything.

_How was he able to sneak everyone inside the palace?_

Blake’s heart thundered violently inside her chest, and she felt even more uneasy when Adam smirked, his Grimm mask covering his eyes and the true intentions behind them.

“Is that any way to greet me, my love?” He spoke, stepping closer towards her. “You haven’t been answering my letters. I got worried.”

“And so, you asked me to meet with you with a whole group of armed White Fang members at your side?” Blake took a step back, shaking her head in disbelief. “What do you want, Adam? I have nothing else to tell you.”

And it was true. What could she possibly say to him? Her parents and the royal council had officially announced the previous day to all the people of Menagerie that they were no longer supporting the White Fang -- an organization no longer striving for peace, but hostility and violence instead.

“Besides your failure as a White Fang member in convincing your parents that their decision was wrong?” Adam muttered darkly. “No, Blake. You still have use to me.”

Before Blake could say anything, two White Fang members sprang from Adam’s sides and grabbed her arms to pull them tightly behind her back, causing the candle lantern that she had been holding with her right hand to fall to the ground, the fire quickly flickering out.

Blake gasped, feeling her eyes widen as Adam kicked the lantern to the side and walked closer towards her, grabbing her chin to tilt it upwards.

“Your family will no longer hold us back, my love. Once they are dealt with, you and I will rule Menagerie together. And those who oppose us, those who oppose the White Fang, will be executed. Faunus will exceed under my rule.”

Blake shook, a breathless sound leaving her lips. “You’re delusional, Adam. You wouldn’t, you can’t, and I won’t let you."

He sneered, pushing her away from him.

“Take her back with you,” he ordered the two Faunus holding her arms. “Don’t let her scream or alert anyone. This will be quick.”

“What in the Brothers, Adam?!” Blake felt fear grip her heart like a vice. “You can’t be serious! If you attack the palace, it is grounds for treason, _humph_ \--”

Blake felt a piece of cloth cover her mouth, silencing the words she was about to say.

And in that moment, under the moon’s dim glow and the starless sky, Blake finally realized that Adam _was_ serious. He was actually going to try and assassinate her parents!

She started kicking and screaming beneath the gag, trying her best to draw the attention of the royal guards. But the White Fang members holding her in place had slowly started to drag her towards the edge of the courtyard, away from Adam and the rest of their group. If she failed to fight them off now, her muffled shouts could be lost to the wind.

_Slap!_

Blake’s face jerked to the side, frozen in place as the pain in her cheek flared from the hit.

_Adam…had just hit her._

“If you don’t _shut up_ ,” He spat quietly. “You will ruin _everything_ , Blake. Don’t test me.”

Blake stared at him in shock, feeling weightless for a moment. All of her memories of feeling giddy in his presence were replaced by all the times she had felt cautious and fearful around him. Once, he had gotten very angry at a first-year member in the White Fang to the point where he had grabbed the poor man and pushed him to the ground, yelling and shouting at him for an hour straight. She had ignored it. Another time, Blake had heard from Ilia that Adam had killed a group of Humans who had attacked members of the White Fang during a mission. It was self-defense, he had explained. But these types of accidents continued to happen, always justified because he claimed they were in self-defense each and every time. She had ignored it. After her parents began to have doubts about continuing their help in the White Fang, Adam had sent her numerous letters in which he had tried to convince her to rebel against her parents so she could take control of the kingdom and better help the Faunus. And again, she had ignored it.

Oh, she was _so_ stupid.

How did it take her this long to see his true colors?

Blake watched as Adam and the rest of the White Fang members walked quickly across the courtyard, disappearing behind a corner.

She barely felt the painful grip on her arms as the two Faunus holding her continued to force her to walk backwards. There was a moment in which Blake considered giving up, knowing she had easily fell into Adam’s trap and was now too far away from the palace’s main grounds for the royal guards to possibly notice what was happening.

She felt relief wash over her senses when Ilia suddenly appeared out of the shadows, seemingly out of nowhere, shouting out what sounded like a battle cry as she began attacking the surprised White Fang members holding Blake hostage.

Blake felt the cloth covering her mouth drop as the two Faunus stepped away from her to focus on fighting Ilia, and Blake did not waste the opportunity to twist around, instantly coming to Ilia’s aid. She knew that Ilia’s Faunus trait most probably had helped her hid completely from view this whole time, but Blake did not have the time to question Ilia on _how_ she knew about the secret meeting in the first place. For now, all Blake was focused on was stopping Adam. 

* 

**TWO YEARS LATER…**

“…the trade disputes between Mistral and Atlas have been going around for far too long. It was only a matter of time until one of the two kingdoms had enough...”

Murmurs swept the royal meeting room, but Blake did not move or show any reaction. She sat stock-still in her seat, watching unemotionally as the royal advisors and officials across the table nodded and talked amongst themselves.

“…and, Lord Lionheart, you are sure about this? Will war really happen?”

Blake blinked, tuning back into the conversation once she heard her mother’s voice address Lord Lionheart -- a royal diplomat that had been sent by House Belladonna to Mistral one year ago to acquire more information about the possible war.

“…Your Majesty…” Lionheart looked tired; hair grayer than what Blake had remembered seeing it. “…it is very probable.”

Kali sighed, and Ghira frowned, thinking about what this could mean to Menagerie as his royal council immediately broke out into discussion.

_“…bad news…!”_

_“…tensions will arise…”_

_“…Vale and Vacuo will have to…"_

_“…we do not want Menagerie to be dragged into this…”_

“Silence!” Ghira boomed across the room, the wooden walls amplifying his voice and shaking Blake out of her thoughts as everyone immediately stopped talking. “Our main priority is keeping Menagerie neutral. We cannot fight any kingdom at this moment.”

Blake flinched, amber eyes averting to the side at her father’s words. She could already feel the burning stares of the royal council suddenly on her, seeing as though everybody knew the reason _why_ Menagerie was unable to fight a war at this time.

 _Because of me._ Blake whispered internally.

“…we need to make peace with Vale and Vacuo in case this war becomes bigger. I propose inviting diplomats from both kingdoms.”

The royal council nodded, all agreeing to Ghira’s plans. Blake stayed quiet.

The meeting continued for two more hours, and once it was done, Blake quickly stood up to leave. She did not want to see anybody.

“Honey.”

Her mother’s voice stopped her, and Blake felt sadness bubble inside her. How her parents still accepted her and addressed her with such kindness was a mystery to Blake. She did not deserve it, especially after the whole incident.

“Yes, mother?” Blake turned around, feeling awkward as Kali took her hands and met her gaze, smiling gently.

“You will have an important role once the visitors come. As a queen, I have to present myself as my best version. And you will also have to, Blake,” Kali hesitated, watching regrettably as her only daughter seemed to close around herself even more at her words. “But I can tell something is bothering you, honey. You cannot hide it from your own mother.”

It was no secret what had happened to the royal family two years ago, when the troubled boy Adam had tried to lead an assassination attempt on the King and Queen but was thankfully stopped. Adam was captured and kept prisoner, before he had somehow managed to escape. It was theorized by the royal council that one the royal guards could have been a White Fang sympathizer, and Adam had convinced him or her to help him escape. To this day, the traitor who had helped Adam escape had not been identified. But rumors involving the princess, and her close relationship to the high-ranking leader was heavily questioned. It had hurt Kali’s heart watching her daughter defend herself in front of the royal council, recounting to them how she had been a victim to his schemes as well. The White Fang had then officially declared war on the monarchy, preaching to the people of Menagerie that House Belladonna did not want to help the Faunus achieve justice from Human discrimination, and this caused a small civil war to ensue throughout Menagerie between the White Fang, their sympathizers, and the royal house. The royal council and House Belladonna were left with no choice but to arrest any citizen involved with helping the White Fang attain anarchy. It lasted for one year, until the people of Menagerie began learning about the White Fang’s violence happening outside the kingdom -- and how it was negatively affecting how people saw and considered Faunus. That was the turning point the royal family needed for their own people to realize how hurtful the White Fang was being to their own race. The civil war ended, but it did take a heavy toll on Menagerie and House Belladonna’s image and resources.

After that, Kali began noticing how Blake became more and more quiet. She locked herself in her bedroom for days, refusing to eat or go outside. It worried both Ghira and Kali, and it took many months for Blake to finally leave her room, accepting she had duties to fulfill as Princess of Menagerie.

Still, Kali knew her daughter was hurting. And she did not know how to help.

“I am fine,” Kali’s eyes widened, surprised she did not need to coax Blake into responding. “Don’t worry about me. I will do my duty as princess.”

“But that’s not--” Kali began.

“Mom, _please_.”

Blake met her stare, eyes moist as she begged her mother to drop it. She did not want to talk about it. _She did not want to talk about it._

Besides, it was not like she way lying to her. Blake knew that her own people as well as the royal court and council all saw her as the girl who was led astray by a crazy radical wanting to overthrow her own family. Blake knew she had hurt her a lot people with her choices. Getting herself involved with the White Fang all those years ago was a huge mistake that she would be paying the price for all her life, even when she became Queen. But maybe, showcasing to her parents and the royal council that she could succeed in her role of playing perfect princess when the Vale and Vacuo diplomats came would help her start making amends.

She would do her duty. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please comment, i enjoy feedback very muchhh


	3. Chapter One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you to everyone who left comments and kudos! you guys made my day :)

Blake stared at her reflection quietly. Her black tresses were braided into a low bun, interwoven with white daisies. Her lips and cheeks were painted a delicate rose pink. Her human ears had been embellished by using two simple pearl earrings while her Faunus cat ears had been left untouched. Her long sleeve dress pooled elegantly beneath her feet, the fabric airy and sky blue in color. She looked perfect, flawless, _unbroken_.

Clearly, Velvet had outdone herself again.

“Thank you, Velvet,” Blake murmured, turning away from the mirror to give her closest lady-in-waiting a soft smile. “What could I do without you?”

Velvet giggled, interlocking her hands in a humble manner as she immediately began deflecting the compliment. “It was nothing, Your Highness. It is my job as your lady-in-waiting after all…”

“Just Blake, Velvet. How many times do I have to remind you?”

Velvet shook her head, chocolate-brown hair flying back and forth. “I’m sorry, Your Highness--er, Blake…”

Blake sighed, already knowing that her efforts were futile. Ever since Velvet had been assigned to be her one and only lady-in-waiting a year ago, she had never addressed Blake without formality and would not start to anytime soon. She was always respectful in her forms of address, always pleasant and nice and never mean-spirited. Velvet was the only daughter of Lady Scarlatina -- an important advisor to both House Belladonna and the royal council. Over time, especially after she and Ilia had begun drifting away from each other, Velvet had become one of Blake’s most treasured friends.

“Will both the Vale and Vacuo diplomats be arriving today?” Velvet asked, switching topics as she began to flit around Blake’s bedroom, her own brown skirts fluttering from the quick _swish_ of her movements. She was looking for the pair of silver sandals she knew Blake owned but almost never used.

 _They would look great with the outfit…_ Velvet mused internally.

Blake hummed, turning back around to appraise herself in the mirror. “We will be receiving the Vacuo diplomats today, no later this afternoon. Their ships were spotted in the harbor west of Kuo Kuana this early morning, so it will not take them long before they arrive at the palace. The Vale diplomats, on the other hand, will most likely arrive a few days later.”

Comfortable silence filled the room, before Velvet said innocently, “And who are the diplomats?”

Blake exhaled tiredly at Velvet’s tone of voice, averting her gaze from the mirror to meet her friend’s mirthful stare. “…you already know…don’t you?”

Velvet fluttered back to Blake’s side, handing her the silver sandals as a cheerful grin appeared on her face. “I don’t know what you mean, Your Highness."

Blake huffed, strapping on the sandals as she gave Velvet a small frown. “Velvet, please. I am not sure what reaction it is you want to see from me, but--”

“-- it’s _Prince Sun!_ Prince Sun and two other envoys! How are you not excited?”

Blake stayed silent for a moment, straying to look outside her bedroom’s large glass window. She watched as the sun beamed brightly outside, birds flying in and out of trees, their chirping as sweet as music. It was a beautiful day, Blake recognized.

_A beautiful day…and it is being wasted on an audience with Vacuo._

“…Your Highness…?” Velvet timidly inquired, worry brimming across her face as she stared at Blake who seemed to be totally looking past her, her golden eyes unfocused. They were a dead giveaway that she was not present in time. Velvet’s worry increased.

“…I-I apologize if I was being too brash--” she began quickly but was cut off.

“No, it’s okay, Velvet,” Blake blinked, sighing as she seemed to re-adjust to the present. “I got lost in thought…”

“Oh.”

“It’s just…” Blake looked down at her hands. “The council brought up Sun and I’s pre-arranged marriage, remember? Before it fell apart? When I was only, what, five?”

Velvet nodded.

“…and, well…honestly, Velvet? I don’t…I don’t…”

“You don’t feel ready,” Velvet guessed, eyes softening as she looked at the Faunus princess. “Or you don’t want to--”

“I don’t want to,” Blake confirmed, hands clenching. “I am only focused on Menagerie and my people. The Faunus are my only priority. Vacuo is not.”

Velvet looked at Blake with wide eyes, mind capturing and taking a mental picture of the princess’ determined and resolute stare. Through Velvet’s eyes, Blake looked as though she was Menagerie’s queen already since she believed her only duty was their kingdom and their kingdom alone.

But still, Velvet’s lips twisted into a sad smile, she deserved to love. No matter which way, whether through Prince Sun or anyone else, her friend deserved a chance to love.

Velvet bowed, trying to show Blake how much she appreciated her unwavering commitment and responsibility to Menagerie. “I understand, Your Highness. Our people are very fortunate to have you as our future queen. _I_ am grateful,”

“Velvet…” Blake whispered, looking at her lady-in-waiting with widened eyes. “I have _so much_ to remedy for. What are you talking about?” Blake’s voice began to crack.

_Fortunate? No. After everything I caused, everything after **him** …Menagerie has no reason to believe that I deserve to be queen._

“Yes, fortunate,” Velvet smiled sadly, already knowing what Blake was thinking. _Blake was always so self-detrimental, and no one has been able change that about her._

“You will be a great queen,” Velvet raised her head, no room for argument in her voice and eyes dead serious as she looked at the Faunus princess. “Please believe me, Blake.” 

* 

The throne room was noiseless. No one talked. No one so much as moved. The atmosphere was so thick and tense that a knife could cut it in half.

Blake sat deathly still on her throne chair (which was positioned to the right of her father’s) while her mother sat to the left. Five royal guards including Captain Rodentia -- who was captain of the Menagerie Royal Guard -- surrounded them on the elevated stairs. Under the silk canopy, Blake could see that the nobles who had gathered inside the throne room were standing next to the marble pillars, their whispers barely echoing. Purple banners with gold trimmings dangled from the sandstone ceiling. A long and narrow carpet had been laid on the smooth floor, its path started from the hall’s double marble doors and ended right in front of the royal family. Overall, the throne room had been polished spotless, glistening under the sun’s rays coming in from the open windows.

To Blake, it seemed as though her parents wanted their distinguished visitors to feel just how formidable House Belladonna was.

Thirty minutes passed in total silence…and then the doors opened.

The whispers and murmurs instantly increased in volume. All of the nobles strained their necks to see exactly who had arrived from Vacuo -- one of five total kingdoms and located west of Remnant. Vacuo was very similar to Menagerie since much of its geography was made up of desert and scrublands, and many Faunus from Menagerie had decided to move there over time. It also helped that the Wukong family, the head rulers of Vacuo for over three decades now, were one of House Belladonna’s closest allies in Remnant. King Wukong was Human, but his third wife was Faunus. Therefore, many Faunus felt welcomed in Vacuo.

 _Still…_ Blake frowned internally. _Vacuo has not always been this open to our people…_

“Welcome!” Ghira yelled across the distance, standing to his full height to address the diplomats as his deep voice reverberated around the room. “To Menagerie.”

Blake observed as Prince Sun Wukong of Vacuo and his retinue or entourage of advisors and royal guards accompanied him to the front, all of them offering a single bow to address her father in return.

“It is our pleasure,” said one of the Vacuo envoys. “We are grateful for your hospitality, Your Majesty.”

Blake counted nine total visitors that Vacuo had sent -- five personal royal guards, one servant, two ambassadors, and the prince. They were all dressed in airy and bright colors, the scent of the ocean floated strongly alongside them from weeks of travel. Her eyes drifted towards Sun before she could stop them, assessing him subconsciously.

He was tall, and handsome. His pale blond hair was short and spiky, his blue eyes reflected excitement, and his tanned skin looked smooth. His grin was just as blinding as Blake remembered, and when he spoke, his stare suddenly veered towards her.

“Your Majesties, Your Highness,” Sun’s eyes twinkled as they looked at her.

 _He grew up…_ Blake blinked once.

Her only memory of the Vacuo prince was when she was five. Their respective kingdoms had been pursuing an arranged marriage between her and Sun for some time back then. King Wukong had agreed to send his youngest son to Menagerie as a show of earnest, and Blake had been truly excited to meet him. Sun was very fun to play with, Blake recalled. He was happy and very energetic every day of his visit (if not a little bit annoying sometimes) but he would make her laugh a lot.

And then, one day, he left. Blake found out months later from her mother that the arranged marriage had fallen apart.

Blake had been sad, but not because her future marriage plans had fallen apart. She felt sad because she had lost a potential friend.

“Prince Sun,” Kali said, returning Blake to the present as she turned to look at her mother. “We are very happy to have you back.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Sun’s grin grew in size. “I wish to grow closer to all of you again.”

Kali laughed, his charm making her feel delighted. Ghira made a sort of gruff sound in reply, not as easily enthralled by his words. But Blake stayed unresponsive, looking at Sun with unemotional eyes.

 _He had grown up but had stayed just as vigorous and fun-loving as she remembered…_ Blake pondered internally. _Still…_

The rest of the audience took twenty more minutes, before Captain Rodentia led the Vacuo diplomats away to their guest rooms. The royal court immediately began to talk amongst themselves once they left, everyone discussing their thoughts on Prince Sun and the rest of the Vacuo visitors.

Blake sat quietly in her seat, barely listening to the conversation her parents were having to her left.

“Honey?” her mother suddenly directed towards her. “What do you think about our visitors?”

Blake met her parents’ stares, and she could see the worry seeping out of their eyes almost immediately. She had not said a word since Sun and his people had arrived, and Blake presumed her silence had concerned them.

“Who are the Vale diplomats, again?”

Blake asked instead, eyes averting back to the royal court below them.

Ghira and Kali shared a look before Ghira responded, “An old acquaintance of mine, and a close friend of King Ozpin -- Qrow Branwen and his niece, Yang Xiao Long.”

Blake nodded, standing up from her throne chair now that the audience with Vacuo had officially ended. Once the Vale diplomats arrived in Kuo Kuana, Blake knew that the endless meetings discussing the war between Atlas and Mistral and their alliances with Vacuo and Vale as well as Menagerie’s neutrality in all of this would finally start.

Then, Blake would begin her duty. 

* 

Three days had passed since the arrival of the Vacuo visitors, and Blake had not seen Prince Sun or any other of his fellow people pass her by in the palace.

They were probably resting after weeks of sea travel.

Blake had spent those three days catching up in her studies and spending most of her time in the royal library, enjoying her favorite thing in the world -- literature, poetry, _books_.

It was late at night when Velvet had abruptly appeared in her bedroom, letting her know that the Vale ambassadors had arrived in Kuo Kuana earlier than expected and were now making their rapid way to the palace.

Velvet had only less than thirty minutes to get Blake ready, but the Faunus princess was not worried. She knew her lady-in-waiting could pretty her up in little to no time.

“They seem an interesting choice for diplomats. I mean, Lord Branwen is not an official ambassador, is he? Although, he _is_ known to be a part of King Ozpin’s close circle, which is not an easy task. Not to mention…he’s also really skilled in hunting Grimm…what’s the title called again…? A… _huntsman_? I’m not sure, but…”

Velvet’s soft chatter turned to mush inside of Blake’s head. Her mind began to paint a picture of the infamous Qrow Branwen -- tales of his bravery when fighting the creatures of Grimm circulated throughout Remnant like the blood in her veins.

The Grimm were monsters, created by the God of Darkness to wreak havoc on all people in Remnant. They were attracted or drawn to feelings of negativity such as sadness and loneliness. And this caused a lot of issues since both Humans and Faunus could not help but to feel these emotions once and a while.

There were skilled fighters in this world, who’s job was to kill Grimm and protect their kingdoms.

King Ozpin had been the first to declare these fighters with an official title -- Huntsmen and Huntresses. It was still a new title and occupation, so many kingdoms such as Menagerie were barely beginning to recruit people for these jobs.

Blake had been a part of the meetings where her parents had advocated to increase protection against Grimm. She had agreed with all their points. They needed skilled fighters to help the Faunus in Menagerie combat against the Grimm. They needed Huntsmen and Huntresses.

Blake had never met a real Huntsman or Huntress before. There were many located in Vale since King Ozpin was the only ruler most concerned with training fighters in how to protect the people against the Grimm. There were some who lived and trained in Atlas, less in Mistral, less in Vacuo, and very few in Menagerie.

Blake hoped that once Qrow Branwen arrived, her parents and the royal council would not only discuss with him the upcoming Atlas-Mistral War but would also ask him for more information about Huntsmen and Huntresses and how to train these fighters.

“…anyways, _oh_! You know how his niece, Lady Yang, is also coming? Apparently, she’s a Huntress too! Or, well, a Huntress-in-training…”

“Really?” Blake raised an eyebrow, brushing her hair up and down. _Interesting…so King Ozpin sent two Huntsmen here?_

“Yup!” Velvet smiled, taking a step back to appraise her work. “All done, Your Highness!”

Blake looked at herself in the mirror and was not surprised to see how beautiful Velvet had worked to dress her up.

She was wearing a long ivory dress with bell sleeves and golden frills. Her black hair had not been pined up but instead left to flow freely down her back in waves, a simple flower crown fitted snuggly in between her Faunus ears. She was also wearing a darker shade of pink on both her lips and cheeks, and her lashes had been brushed to curl and frame around her eyes.

She looked more mature than when the Vacuo diplomats had arrived, and Blake liked it better.

“Thank you, Velvet.” 

* 

Blake stood still in her seat, exhaling deeply as the doors to the throne room opened.

It was close to midnight now, and the throne room was bathed in an orange glow from the torches attached to the walls. Very few nobles were strewn about the floor, but Blake could easily identify with her night vision as Sun and his two advisors stood near a pillar close to her mother’s throne chair, probably wanting to see the Vale diplomats arrive as well. Everyone waited with a bated breath as the Vale visitors came closer.

_Huntsmen, huh?_

Blake did not know what to expect Qrow Branwen to look like. Big? Dangerous? Muscular?

Blake watched as Captain Rodentia accompanied the two Vale visitors across the carpet and once they stood a few meters away from them, the Huntsman’s raspy voice broke the silence surrounding the room.

“Your Majesties,” Qrow Branwen spoke up, chuckling. “Sorry for arriving this early…or I guess…late.”

Blake was surprised. Qrow Branwen was not anything she imagined him to be. He had dark spiky hair, vermilion eyes, a lean form, a slight stubble along his jawline, and pale skin. He was wearing black and gray clothing as well as a red tattered cloak. On his waist, a steel sword was firmly attached to a brown belt. He walked in a slouched position, with an indifferent and calm aura.

He seemed…normal. Perfectly normal.

But even though he was the total opposite of what Blake believed a Huntsman would look like, she could not help but still feel wary.

Huntsmen were the most skillful combatants in Remnant. They knew how to fight Grimm who were horrible and terrifying creatures.

They were probably powerful. Stronger than ten royal guards.

He bowed swiftly towards her parents and then moved to the side so that the person behind him could be seen.

“Allow me to introduce my niece, Yang Xiao Long.”

Blake inhaled. _A real Huntress-in-training!_

His niece was very pretty, Blake couldn’t help but to think. Maybe eighteen or older. She was tall, with fair skin and delicate features. She was wearing a simple cream blouse and a leather corset. Her pants, belt, and knee-high boots were both tan and made up of leather as well. She had on an orange scarf and black fingerless gloves, which in Blake’s opinion, perfectly completed the outfit. Her lilac eyes and long honey-blonde hair shined under the candlelight, causing a gentle aura to surround her form as a result.

She was…intriguing.

Lady Yang bowed after her uncle’s introduction, lips twisting into a wide smile, and Blake waited with a beating heart for her to say something.

Silence.

“Welcome, Lady Yang,” Kali nodded, smiling for a moment before turning away to address the girl’s uncle again. “I hope you had safe travels…”

The rest of the audience passed by rapidly, the infamous Qrow Branwen explaining to her parents how King Ozpin had ensured him the position of momentary ambassador while his niece was to be his accompaniment.

“You see…my niece here is a Huntress-in-training. This diplomatic mission is a training mission for her.”

Her parents nodded, understanding the special circumstances before changing the conversation back to King Ozpin and his regards. But Blake’s eyes stayed on the girl, captivated by who she was.

Her eyes traced Yang without a second thought, wanting to find any hint of a weapon hidden behind her clothing. _It doesn’t look like she uses a sword…or a bow…or --_

Blake’s amber eyes widened once lilac eyes suddenly interlocked with hers.

_She noticed me!_

Blake’s hands which were wrapped around the armrests of her chair quickly tightened, feeling her mind begin to be torn in half. _What should she do? Look away and pretend she wasn’t spying? Or stay in this position?_

Blake felt heat travel to her cheeks, and she made her decision instantly.

_I’m looking away now!_

But before Blake could act on her decision, she felt herself completely freeze.

_She’s smiling…at me...?_

Yang was smiling wider now, looking at Blake with bright, unblinking eyes. They stayed still, staring at each other for a few more seconds.

Then, Yang looked away. Returning her attention back to the meeting at hand.

Blake stayed breathless in her seat; her heart still felt frozen.

She blinked once.

Then she blinked twice.

_They weren't what I was expecting at all._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please leave a comment, it's the best feeling for a writer. and thank you for reading :)


	4. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the late update everyone! but here is the new chapter (i call it the "ball" chapter) enjoy :)

The royal library had been her sanctuary ever since she was a child. The love she felt for books had bloomed early on in her life, and Blake would use the library every time she needed somewhere to escape.

Before involving herself with the White Fang, Blake would spend all her free time reading a number of different books and collections -- wanting to learn more about everything happening outside her kingdom. She wanted to learn more about the whole world.

But that was put on hold the moment she had learned about Faunus inequality.

No longer was her thirst for knowledge her only priority but wanting to change Remnant and the unfairness of how Faunus were treated compared to Humans took precedence.

As future queen of Menagerie, Blake understood what mattered first -- her people.

And although her involvement with the White Fang had cost her a lot, and had hurt her family as well, Blake would never stop fighting for the Faunus.

But… _how_? How could she undo her past mistakes with the White Fang? How could the people of Menagerie, the Faunus, trust her again? After putting her own parents in danger by trusting Adam, after helping an organization no longer using peace but violence, after causing a civil war to ensue in Menagerie, how would Blake change the world?

She did not know. She did not know and that _frustrated_ her.

The heavy sound of books hitting the table startled Blake out of her endless thoughts.

“Are you alright, Your Highness?”

Blake blinked at Tukson’s worried tone. She had been staring blankly at the bookcase across from her, lost in her own head and had forgotten that she was actually in the middle of a lesson.

Blake’s eyes jumped upwards to meet Tukson’s, ready with an apology in hand for getting distracted. Tukson was her private tutor or teacher, chosen by her mother to be in charge of Blake’s early education ever since she was thirteen. He was a male Faunus with clean-cut black hair and hazel eyes. He was always polite as well as professional, and Blake had admired how Tukson seemed to possess a great deal of knowledge about every matter, topic, or subject in Remnant. Tukson’s particular way of teaching was also compatible with Blake’s learning style -- acquiring knowledge through books.

They had decided to meet in the library today to begin the first lesson of the week. But Blake was not sure she could pay attention. There was too much going on at the moment.

“I apologize, Tukson--”

Tukson shook his head. “We’re starting with history, today,” he interjected, sorting the books out on the table. “Do you remember our last lesson?”

“…”

Blake stayed quiet, eying the volumes her tutor was holding with rare distaste. She would usually feel excited to start another lesson -- reading and learning had always been enjoyable for her -- but Blake felt completely drained of energy. Exhausted.

Blake blamed it on lack of sleep. And stress. She was unable to sleep well last night, her insomnia had left her restless and wide awake in her bed. Every time Blake had tried to close her eyes, _his_ menacing dark red aura plagued her mind like a disease. It left her powerless to breathe, and she would wake up in a cold sweat. The stress from her past mistakes, stress from the looming war, and stress from their newly arrived visitors had also added to her insomnia -- leaving Blake to turn and toss in her bed, staring at the plain wall in front of her until the early sun’s rays streamed through the open window -- indicating that morning had quickly arrived. When Velvet had knocked on her bedroom door, ready to start the day, the Faunus princess had stood up, looking tired beyond recognition.

So now, Blake felt heavy-eyed and slow. The fingers of sleep tickled the edges of her mind, causing it to feel muddled and crude.

She felt drained.

“Are you sure you’re alright, Your Highness?” Tukson repeated, flipping open the first page of a random book. “We don’t have much time left to start another lesson since you’ll be busy attending the diplomatic meetings, but if you’re not--”

“I am fine,” Blake cut in, unmoving. “Let’s begin.”

Four days had passed since the arrival of both the Vacuo and Vale visitors to Menagerie, and in one more day, the meetings involving the upcoming war between Atlas and Mistral would _finally_ take place. While her headache had not left, she understood that she and Tukson needed to finish approximately two weeks’ worth of lessons in one afternoon because tomorrow, the diplomatic meetings would take up most of her time, and she would not be able to attend her weekly schedules with Tukson any longer.

With a sudden burst of determination, Blake reached across the table and took a hefty book from Tukson’s hands.

_She could do this._

“Atlas. What is one of its economic policies?”

Blake snorted internally _. Of course._ _We are_ _studying_ _the_ _K_ _ingdom of_ _Atlas now._

“Trade policies -- excessive export taxes,” she answered without hesitation, not looking up from the book she was currently scanning.

Tukson boomed out a laugh. “Correct. What is an impact?” _Did he even have to ask?_

“War.”

From what Blake understood, the Kingdom of Atlas mined more than two-thirds of all of Remnant’s supply of metals and crystals. Atlas, and House Schnee, had made a fortune selling their precious metals and crystals to the other kingdoms. But, for over years now, the northernmost kingdom had been steadily increasing the export tax on these high-in-demand rarities. It was only a matter of time until they created a trade dispute with the neighboring territories -- Mistral took the role.

Tensions between Atlas and Mistral had been growing for months as a result. Lord Lionheart, when he had returned to Kuo Kuana, informed her parents that Mistral would declare war first.

And since Menagerie were in alliance with both Vale (who allied mostly with Atlas) and Vacuo (who allied mostly with Mistral) her parents and the royal council were left conflicted on which side to choose if the war continued to evolve.

Inviting envoys from both Vale and Vacuo would hopefully help increase Menagerie’s chances of neutrality. They could not risk being dragged into a war after all.

The plan, essentially, was: if Menagerie were in union with both Vale and Vacuo, which in turn, would keep them at peace with Atlas and Mistral, their kingdom would have no reason to join the war.

The plan sounded feasible.

Blake hoped it would work. 

* 

“A ball?”

“Yes,” Kali smiled, threading her fingers softly through Blake’s dark hair like she used to do when Blake had been a small child. “We haven’t held one in ages, honey.”

“Oh, how exciting!” Velvet said, spinning around with a beam on her face. “That’s a wonderful idea, Your Majesty!”

When Blake had returned to her own chambers after her lesson with Tukson, she was surprised to find not only Velvet but her mother in her bedroom as well.

They were both sitting on the velvet couch, talking animatedly. Two of her mother’s personal ladies-in-waiting and three other servants were running around the room. They seemed to be sewing and styling a number of different dresses, their fast hands cutting fabrics and stitching gems without stopping like a well-oiled machine.

Blake had walked in, a little weary of the atmosphere, but was assured to sit down by Velvet.

“Why a ball?” Blake asked her mother, thanking Velvet who had brought her a warm cup of freshly brewed tea from the coffee and tea bar or station that occupied the west wall of her bedroom.

“To entertain our guests, of course,” Kali sipped her own tea. “Showcasing kindliness to your visitors is the best way to make allies, honey.”

Blake stayed quiet, but nevertheless nodded.

Her mother held a very important role in the monarchy. She had many responsibilities but had always upheld her duty with the upmost grace and elegance. Blake admired her for that. One of her many obligations for example was entertaining visitors and special guests from other kingdoms who visited their home. So, Blake was not the least surprised when her mother told them about how the royal council immediately accepted her idea.

“I’ve personally visited both our Vale and Vacuo guests days ago and have informed them about this. The ball will take place tonight, and I brought them here -- Kali nodded towards her ladies and servants -- to make you the best outfit.”

“Mom,” Blake groaned a little, knowing how carried away her mother could get when she designed her own dresses. “I could just put on one of the many dresses I have in my wardrobe--”

“Nope!” Velvet interrupted, glaring at the Faunus princess. “Let yourself have this, Your Highness.”

Kali laughed at the tiny scowl her daughter returned to the brown-haired bunny Faunus. No matter how many times Blake would refuse, she knew Velvet Scarlatina was the only person in the palace who would stand up to Blake’s stubbornness.

“Well, alright," Kali stood up and placed her cup of tea on the wooden table, ready to take her leave. “I’ll leave Blake in your hands, Velvet.” 

* 

“You look beautiful, Blake.”

Blake looked up from the floor, smiling shyly at the gentleness easily displayed in both her parents’ gazes.

The Belladonna family had been dressed in their official colors -- purple, black, and gold. The outfits her parents wore complimented each other perfectly, while Blake had been dressed in a dark amethyst ball gown. The skirt, bodice, and shoulder swags of her dress were embellished with glinting gems and stones. Velvet had spun her around back in her room, and Blake had watched in the mirror with bubbling laughter as the skirts whirled around her like a purple flower ready to bloom. Her hair had been half-up half-down tied into a bun, and a gleaming necklace was placed on her pale neck. Her make-up had been superbly done, and Blake was once again reminded how grateful she was to Velvet for always making sure she looked nice.

“Ready your Majesties?”

Captain Rodentia spoke, hands ready on the handles of the ballroom’s golden doors.

Ghira nodded and extended his arms. Blake grabbed his right while Kali grabbed his left.

Blake inhaled.

The doors opened. 

*

 _When was the last time_ _my_ _parents had held a ball?_

Blake watched as multiple servants ran across the wide, marble floors, plates and plates of glistening foods stacked on top of their arms. Nobles and aristocrats were dispersed across the same floors, some were busy dancing while others sat on their respective tables -- mingling and chatting enthusiastically. It seemed as though her parents had invited more than three or four hundred guests.

The ballroom had been decorated beautifully. Purple and golden streamers hanged from the many chandeliers on the archway ceiling and in between the rails of the entrance staircase. Faunus musicians played endless music native to Menagerie on the large stage to the east wall of the ballroom. Decorated tables had been set up nicely, each one having glasses of sparkling wine and little plates filled with local fruits.

Blake had been enraptured at first, watching the ballroom as it sparkled alive. But after her parents finished announcing their individual speeches, and the people in front of her only continued to laugh and dance -- ignorant to what really mattered right now -- she became uninterested to it all.

While parties were a great way to entertain the Vale and Vacuo guests as well as the fellow nobility of Menagerie, what really mattered was that her kingdom did not fail in its mission to keep out of the war. That was the point of having this ball anyway. Nothing else.

“Both Prince Sun and Lady Yang are gaining quite the interest, hm?”

Blake blinked at the sudden mention of their visitors, rapidly turning around in her chair to look at her mother in confusion.

Kali was smiling knowingly, indicating with a nod to where Sun and Lady Yang seemed to be conversing with one another. “They both look lovely, don’t they?”

Blake scanned the room, and sure enough, she spotted them standing without their advisors (or in Yang’s case, without her uncle) to the left of the ballroom. They were laughing and enjoying the party, a large group of people had surrounded them -- all young Faunus nobles that Blake recognized from past occasions.

Sun seemed to be in the middle of recounting a story or the sort to his audience, with his hands in the air, waving in all different directions. He wore a white vest and pants, blond hair messily strewn about. His large grin and loud voice did nothing to hide his apparent enthusiasm, and Blake could guess that the prince was not affected by the rapid attention he was starting to receive. On the contrary, he seemed to _like_ the attention -- the laughter that he was able to pull out of his audience caused the grin on his face to widen.

_Well, he is_ _Sun_ _…_

Blake rolled her eyes and looked to the side to her second visitor, the huntress-in-training. She expected to find Lady Yang to be much more reserved or standoffish, not used to such attention from the nobles, but was surprised to see the opposite.

 _She’s the center of attention_ _too_ _?_

While Sun had been surrounded by a bunch of nobles, mostly ladies since he was a _very_ important person in Vacuo and Blake knew that many wanted to get closer to him as a result, the huntress-in-training had _double_ the audience.

Blake watched with growing interest as the Human girl smiled and laughed with the Faunus enveloping near her, brightness and sincerity stitched across her features. She did not show any sort of haughtiness or uncomfortableness, not minding that the people around her had an extra set of ears, or tails, or other Faunus trait.

She seemed natural.

She also wore elegant attire, but unlike Sun, Blake could not help but to raise her eyebrows in astonishment. She wore a lovely chiffon dress, the color of sundown, airy and long with floral and gold embellishments. Her wavy honey-colored tresses were unpinned but combed perfectly, shiny under the candlelight and very beautifully curled.

Blake recognized _that_ work immediately -- Velvet.

“Mother. Father,” Blake said after a few minutes of silence. “I have a request.”

Her parents stopped talking, looking over at their only daughter with raised eyebrows.

They seemed surprised that Blake had spoken for the first time since the ball had officially begun but before they could ask what it was, Blake continued, “The traditional dance.”

She did not have to turn around to know that both of them had been left shocked at her request, eyes wide and mouths open.

“Please.” Blake finished before she could lose her confidence. She hoped they would not question her right now.

Ghira and Kali shared a look before nodding simultaneously.

Clearing his throat, Ghira stood up from his seat and motioned for the room to quiet down. As if her father was waving a magic wand, the noise in the ballroom slowly began to die down and everyone stared at the Belladonna family with heightened eyes and close attention.

Blake continued to stare at the room with inexpressive eyes, her heart churning in anticipation.

 _When was the last time_ _I have performed for my people?_

After her father announced her request for the traditional dance, everyone quickly cheered and applauded -- delighted to hear that their Faunus princess would finally perform the traditional royal dance native to Menagerie that all past princesses had performed before.

Blake had learned it when she was only five years old and had performed it once. And only once in her debutante ball when she made her first formal entrance or appearance in front of her future subjects.

Slowly making her way down the elevated platform her family had been seated in, Blake walked to the middle of the dance floor and waited patiently for the music to start. The people who had been dancing immediately paved out of the way, and all the young Faunus women and ladies at the party quickly rushed to make a circle around her. Blake spotted Velvet in the crowd; an encouraging smile was plastered on her face as she took part in the circle by holding the hands of two other girls.

Blake smiled back before returning to look serious. The applause and cheers of the crowd faded away into the background. She was ready.

_Ilia._

All of a sudden, Blake swiveled around, gaping at the crowd. She had sworn she had spotted a dark brown ponytail out of the corner of her eye, but there was nothing there anymore. Ilia was not part of the circle.

Blake could not help but to frown a little, still looking into the crowd. It had been months since they had last talked, and she did not expect Ilia to attend the ball. But if she was here…

_Dururururururu…._

The drums began to play, indicating the start of the song. Blake instantly took her position, mind going blank. It seemed as though her muscle memory had not failed her since her hands and feet immediately began to move.

It had been so long since she had last practiced the dance, and Blake did not even think or contemplate what would happen if she forgot a step.

_Dururururururu…._

But she continued. The dance lasted four minutes. The first two minutes, Blake danced alone. She could feel the heat of a hundred stares as well as the trembles of the floor beneath her from all the clapping and stomping, but it did not relent her. And she continued without missing a beat, going faster as the music increased in tempo.

At the three-minute mark, the circle of people surrounding her immediately began to move, joining the dancing by going clockwise while Blake danced counterclockwise. She could hear the giggling and laughter of the girls dancing around her. Her heart began to pound faster.

_Almost time…_

What made this dance different from all the others Blake had to learn and memorize as part of being a princess…was the ending.

At the four-minute mark, Blake had to choose someone from the crowd of onlookers to join her. Last time, in her debutante ball, Blake had chosen a young male Faunus -- the son of a Lord that had caught her attention. Her decision to invite him to dance with her had helped her parents and his parents work out a particular difficult territory issue. And Blake had learned that day why this dance existed or why it mattered in the first place -- for diplomatic purposes.

_Like now._

The cheering encircling her grew in volume as everyone waited for Blake to take her pick.

She could see Velvet mouthing the words “Prince Sun” as she continued to dance around her. Other girls began to point with their eyes towards other young noblemen watching at a distance in the crowd, maybe hoping for a chance to be close to the princess. She could see Sun grinning at the side, blue eyes shining with confidence in getting picked as he inched closer towards the circle, clapping along to the music.

But Blake had already picked her choice beforehand.

_My partner will be…_

Blake abruptly turned around to extend her hand, observing with a little tilt to her lips as Lady Yang -- who had been standing outside the circle with wide, fascinated eyes -- continued to clap, unaware that Blake had chosen her.

As soon as everyone noticed who she had chosen, the murmurs began to fly in the air. Blake could hear their voices and discussions clearly.

_“…who’s she…?”_

_“…I think she’s an envoy from Vale, from King Ozpin…”_

_“…isn’t she a Huntress…?"_

_“…a…Human?_ _But…Prince Sun…”_

Blake shut it all off, not looking away in favor of watching as Lady Yang gasped in realization, lilac eyes widening in surprise as they met hers.

_My partner will be_ _…her._

“Will you join me?” Blake looked on politely, hand open.

She could hear the cheering of the crowd slowly dwindle behind her, everyone confused as they stared at the situation quickly unraveling itself.

But Blake waited patiently even as Lady Yang continued to blink back at her, confusion strewn about her features. After a few tense seconds, she opened her mouth to speak and Blake could not help but to hold her breath, anticipating. She had not heard her speak before, and the curiosity to know what her voice sounded like overrode Blake’s mind.

“B-but I’m afraid I don’t know this dance, Your Highness…”

Blake inhaled.

_Okay, then._

A smile appeared on Blake’s face without her control. She did not even notice.

“Just follow my lead.” Was Blake’s simple response.

Her hand was warm but calloused. Up close, Blake could spot the tiny freckles decorating the huntress-in-training’s nose and cheeks like constellations on the night sky. She was very pretty, with a certain flirtatiousness apparent in her stare.

Blake exhaled, spinning once then twice, and watched with instant captivation as her partner copied her -- the skirts of her dress flowing swiftly with the movement.

Lady Yang continued to spin, laughing freely as the court watching her applauded louder and cheered her on.

Blake could not help but to stand still for the last seconds of the song. Breathless. She felt dizzy just by looking at Yang who seemed to resemble the sun -- her golden hair and dress a bright spot in the room. Blake could not help but to wonder if she, a literal princess, had ever received as much attention as the huntress-in-training seemed to be gaining right now.

But Blake did not mind. She was enthralled or maybe stunned just as much as the royal court was.

_Graceful. Clearly, she knows how to dance. How to entertain_ _…_

_…and her smile…_

The song ended, and her partner was smiling brightly, all white teeth and puffing as she turned around to face Blake.

They exchanged a bow, and Blake could not help but to want to hear her voice one more time.

“Your Highness,” she spoke before Blake could even open her mouth, lilac eyes shimmering in excitement.

Blake waited for her to continue but realized all too late that that was all once she bowed once again, turned around, and was swallowed by a cheering crowd.

_Oh._

She had only meant to address her.

Disappointment filled her heart without Blake even knowing why. But once the ringing in her ears grew faint, did Blake remember why she had initially done this. What the dance served as.

_Of course. This was only showing kindliness. Just like her mother had said._

Blake grew indifferent, turned away, and returned to her seat. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please leave a comment :) thank you for the kudos!

**Author's Note:**

> please leave comments, I appreciate feedback very much and promise to do better next time :)


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